Cat urine is one of the most difficult stains to remove. The resulting odor is ammonia-like and lingers forever if the stained area is not dealt with properly. There are news stories that are devoted to the damage that cats can do to a property when things get out of hand. Tales of cat hoarders who have taken in too many animals and have become overwhelmed dot the headlines almost monthly. In some of the worst cases, properties have been condemned and have needed to be literally demolished. Even the most responsible cat owners have experienced problems from time to time and are at a loss as to how to remedy the situation. The best way to avoid a situation that is out of control is to prevent it from happening in the first place, if at all possible.

The first step in preventing cat urine problems begins with the health of your pet. Regular veterinary check-ups and vaccines go a long way toward ensuring that your cat is healthy and can off-set diseases and parasites that contribute to urination issues. A cat that is unhealthy is much more prone to accidents and other destructive behaviors than one that is physically fit. Your veterinarian is also the person who can give you expert advice on behavior problems that may arise and offer solutions that are specific to your cat and any extenuating circumstances.

Another contributing factor toward the overall health of your cat is what your cat eats. As a whole, pet foods found in the supermarket have come a long way, but without reading labels and ingredients, the average consumer is more likely to be swayed by advertising than nutrition. It is important to read the ingredients in order to make sure that your cat is getting the right amount of protein and other essential nutrients. As cats are carnivores, it is important to check to see if the first ingredient in their food is meat, poultry or fish. Many pet foods, even wet foods, list some type of grain as the first ingredient and as ingredients are listed in descending order, this means that the food is comprised of mostly grain. Various grains including corn and rice may fill up your cat but have little nutritive value for a carnivore.

In addition to making sure that the food has meat, poultry or fish as the first ingredient, make sure that the cat's diet also includes canned or wet food. A diet made up of only dry food prevents the cat from benefiting from a more natural diet. Natural carnivores like cats get a majority of the water in their diet from the animals they eat. By providing a canned or wet food, a cat owner is allowing the cat to absorb moisture in a more natural way that really supplements the amount of water the cat drinks. Finally, always provide fresh, clean water for your cat. A cat that is dehydrated is more likely to develop painful crystals in their urine and can set up a situation where urinary tract infections occur frequently. Urinary tract infections are serious in cats and result in extremely painful and frequent urination and less desire to make it to the litter box.

The last step in prevention is to make sure that the cat's litter box is a desirable place for the cat to eliminate waste. By cleaning feces out daily and changing the litter at least once a week, a cat owner is more likely to have a cat that is all to happy to use its litter box.